Public Sector Management Research Articles

Decoupling in hybrid arrangements: Insights from the Australian defence industry

AbstractThe Australian Industry Capability (AIC) program presents an example of hybridity where national security interests are served through a complex partnership between the Department of Defence, global prime contractors, and small and medium‐sized Australian companies. Through a qualitative interview study of stakeholders in the defence industry by and triangulating findings from publicly available defence industry documents, this study aims to document the decoupling associated with the AIC program. We find that complexity and opacity, stemming from hybridity, create decoupling in the implementation of the AIC program. We also find that a lack of accountability and monitoring contributes to decoupling. We advance the literature on hybridity into the context of multi‐organisational arrangements in a unique industry and identify how decoupling can impede the achievement of policy objectives in the context of complex hybrid arrangements.Points for practitioners The Australian Industry Capability (AIC) program represents a case of complex hybrid arrangement in public sector management involving the defence industry. Hybridity of AIC arrangements creates challenges of complexity and opacity, creating conditions that give rise to decoupling. Lack of accountability and monitoring exacerbates these challenges. Potential for coupling is identified with recommendations provided.

Contingency and paradoxes in management practices—development plan as a case

Purpose As part of a national plan to govern professional and organizational development in Norwegian specialist healthcare, the country’s hospital clinics are tasked with constructing development plans. Using the development plan as a case, the paper analyzes how managers navigate and legitimize the planning process among central actors and deals with the contingency of decisions in such strategy work.Design/methodology/approach This study applies a qualitative research design using a case study method. The material consists of public documents, observations and single interviews, covering the process of constructing a development plan at the clinical level.Findings The findings suggest that the development plan was shaped through a multilevel translation process consisting of different contending rationalities. At the clinical level, the management had difficulties in legitimizing the process. The underlying tension between top-down and bottom-up steering challenged involvement and made it difficult to manage the contingency of decisions.Practical implications The findings are relevant to public sector managers working on strategy documents and policymakers identifying challenges that might hinder the fulfillment of political intentions.Originality/value This paper draws on a case from Norway; however, the findings are of general interest. The study contributes to the academic discussion on how to consider both the health authorities’ perspective and the organizational perspective to understand the manager’s role in handling the contingency of decisions and managing paradoxes in the decision-making process.

Emotional intelligence and job performance: A study of public sector management schools in Pakistan

In today’s dynamic world, higher education plays a vital role in the development of societies and in the socio-economic development of countries. In this context, many developed nations invest in the development of teaching faculty in the universities by improving their emotional intelligence and job performance. This research intends to construct a model for investigating the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and its key dimensions and job performance in public sector management schools of Pakistan. In Pakistan, there are 77 management schools with 1247 regular employees. The proposed model has one primary and four secondary hypotheses. In this proposed model, stratified random sample is employed. The teaching faculty is divided into 4 strata: professor, associate professor, assistant professor and lecturer. Data was collected from 305 randomly selected respondents from the target population through personally administered and officially emailed questionnaires in order to test the hypothesized model. In the study, regression model is employed using SPSS 2.1 software to test the hypotheses. Results shows positive and significant relationship of Emotional Intelligence with its four dimensions: Self-Emotion Appraisal, Other-Emotion Appraisal, Self-Emotion Regulation, and Other Emotion Regulation, with Job Performance. The research has addressed the existing gap on scarcity of research on Emotion Intelligence with its key dimensions, in the public sector universities and the management schools as a target population. Moreover, this research also has some limitations. The research findings have both theoretical and practical implications. In order to foster job performance, the study recommends the creation and promotion of an organizational environment wherein faculty members could share their workplace emotions with ease and interest. Lastly, suggestions for further research are provided.

Creating authority and autonomy: Necessary dialectical tensions in public sector project management

This study investigates the nuanced relationship between public sector project managers and their adherence to organizational project management protocols, as defined by reference documents such as PRINCE2 and PMBOK® Guide. It investigates why these project managers frequently deviate from these protocols. The study investigates the practical relevance yet perceived redundancy of these documents through interviews and a focus group with nine experienced project managers in the Australian public sector. Using thematic analysis and a Derridean perspective, we show how these documents create a project manager's their authority and autonomy. The study concludes with the proposal of a deconstructive theory of public sector project management, emphasising pragmatism over rigid adherence to established project management ideologies.

Employee Performance Management: The Impact of Competing Goals, Red Tape, and PSM

Employee performance management (PM) can benefit employees, organizations, and wider stakeholders, but it is often done poorly, and public administrations pose contextual constraints to doing it well. It has inherent tensions between the goal of accountability and development, is complex, and requires alignment across both a formal administrative level and an informal psychosocial level. In public administration, three contextual factors add complexity and difficulty—competing goals, red tape and public service motivation. This study examines how line managers—a neglected group in PM studies—“do” performance management in practice. Data were collected via interviews with public sector managers in the “new public management” influenced New Zealand public sector. Competing goals and red tape make PM difficult, offer little accountability, and inhibit employee development, which often must run parallel to formal practices. They also limit managerial skill development. Failings in one practice, such as setting employee goals, impact subsequent formal and informal practices. Public service motivation provides workarounds. To work well, modern performance management could be reconstrued less as a compliance activity and more as a psychosocial process reinforced by a formal, prescribed organization system. Practical insights into barriers and opportunities, to improve performance management, are identified.

Shared professional logics amongst managers and bureaucrats in Brazilian social security: a street-level mixed-methods study

PurposeThis research addresses the professional logics of street-level managers (SLMs) and bureaucrats (SLBs) working in the Brazilian National Social Security Agency (INSS) through their perceptions of distributive justice and discretion. Since SLMs have the authority to influence SLBs' actions, we investigate whether these two groups hold similar viewpoints.Design/methodology/approachWe integrate the administrative data and survey responses (n = 678) with earlier thematic content analysis (n = 350) in three stages: mean-testing, regression analyses and complementary qualitative analysis, integrated through a mixed-methods matrix.FindingsWhilst no significant differences emerge in distributive justice ideas between groups, SLMs demand wider benefit-granting discretion, praising professionalism whilst adopting managerial posture and jargon.Research limitations/implicationsThe study adds to the theoretical discussions concerning SLM’s influence on SLB’s decision-making, suggesting that other factors outweigh it. The finding concerning the managers’ demand for wider discretion asks for further in-depth approaches.Practical implicationsFindings supply valuable insights for policymakers and managers steering administrative reforms, by questioning whether some roles SLMs play are limited to symbolic levels. Further, SLBs’ heterogenous formations might be more relevant to policy divergence than managerial influence and perhaps an underutilised source of innovation.Originality/valueBy approaching street-level management professional logics within a Global South welfare state through a mixed-methods approach, this study offers a holistic understanding of complex dynamics, providing novel insights for public sector management.

Interpersonal and Informational Justices as Correlates of the Whistle-Blowers’ Intentions in Nigeria

This study examined whether interpersonal and informational justices are correlates of whistle-blowers’ intentions among selected local government areas in Delta State, Nigeria. In this study, two dimensions of organizational justice (interpersonal and informational justices) were used. In order to carry out the study, questionnaires were administered to employees in six local government areas and data obtained were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. On the basis of the analysis, it was found that while there is a significant relationship between interpersonal distributive justice and whistle-blowers’ intentions, an insignificant relationship was found between informational justices and whistle-blowers’ intentions. Thus, only interpersonal justice serve as a correlate of the whistle-blowers’ intentions. The study recommended the integration of internal disclosures via code of ethics and honesty reporting to support whistle-blowers as well as in silencing and/or punishing the whistle-blowers via retaliatory measures put in place by management of public sector.

Adopting a Purposeful Approach to Hybrid Working integrating notions of place,space and time

Hybrid working is a prevalent way of working, representing a significant change for public sector organisations. The change management literature brings together the notions of place and space; however, little research on hybrid working has used this framing. In this article, we extend this framing to include time, arguing that key to hybrid working effectiveness is the adoption of a purposeful approach to integrating place, space and time. This article has the potential to assist public sector human resource practitioners, managers, employees and policymakers as they navigate their way through these changing times.

The Analysis of Impacts on Innovation Management: The Case of Мongolia

Our study's objective is to find out which factors to achieve as personal skills, cooperation, professional knowledge, rewards on innovation management in Mongolian public sector. There were 649 public servants who work in public sector participated in our study. We analyzed for using SMART PLS 3.0 software to attempted to prove analyze metrological, correlation, multi-factor, and path analysis. We tried to prove how the variables affect as personal skills, cooperation, professional knowledge, rewards on innovation management in our study.

Relationship between leadership style and public service motivation: A meta-analysis

This study presents a meta-analysis of 59 separate samples sourced from 49 studies, pooling a sample size of 34,442 participants to examine the relationship between leadership style and public service motivation. We found that leader–member exchange leadership, charismatic leadership, and servant leadership had a strong positive correlation with public service motivation, while transactional leadership, ethical leadership, and transformational leadership had a moderate positive correlation with public service motivation. Moreover, cultural background, the measurement instrument used to assess public service motivation, and the source of participants moderated the correlation between leadership style and public service motivation. In contrast, the moderating effect of research design was nonsignificant. The results elucidate the relationship between leadership style and public service motivation and provide theoretical guidance for public sector management practice.

Study on Key Factors Influencing Coordination Effectiveness of Food Safety Coordinating Body: Lessons from the Chinese Context.

Many countries have established food safety coordination agencies to strengthen cooperation between government agencies. Due to different national conditions, there are differences in the coordination agencies of different countries, but there are also many similarities. This article studies the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China's food safety coordinating body, so as to enhance interagency collaboration. The results show that the coordination ability of the coordinating body's head, the authority degree of the coordinating body, the clarity degree of the agency's legal responsibility, and the clarity degree of the coordination goal are key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness. The conclusions indicate that the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China's food safety commissions are similar to the key factors in Western countries, without evident differences due to national situations, social systems, and cultures. This article will be useful to policymakers and public sector managers in terms of understanding which key factors influence the coordination effectiveness of coordinating agencies. Moreover, this study provides a perspective for the academic circle from which to understand the main problems faced in the interagency collaborative governance of food safety risks in China.

PLANNING PROGRAMMING BUDGETING SYSTEM (PPBS) AND CONTROL OF PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INDUSTRIALIZED AND EMERGING ECONOMIES

Public sector organizations play a critical role in the economic and social development of both industrialized and emerging economies. The Planning, Programming, Budgeting System (PPBS) and Control is a management approach that has been widely adopted to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of resource allocation and utilization in public sector organizations. This study provides an overview of the key principles and practices of PPBS, and it highlights the differences and similarities in its implementation in industrialized and emerging economies. In these contexts, PPBS is often used to enhance fiscal discipline, promote equity in resource distribution, and reduce corruption. The focus is on short-term planning and basic budgeting practices, with a greater reliance on traditional input-based budgeting methods. While there are clear differences in the sophistication and maturity of PPBS in industrialized and emerging economies, both share common goals, including improved governance, enhanced service delivery, and efficient resource utilization. Furthermore, many developing economies are gradually adopting elements of the PPBS from their developed counterparts, incorporating best practices and adapting them to their specific circumstances. This study underscores the importance of considering the unique context and challenges that public sector organizations face in industrialized and emerging economies when implementing PPBS. It also highlights the potential for cross-learning and knowledge transfer between these two groups, contributing to the continued evolution and improvement of public sector management practices worldwide. KEYWORDS: Budgeting; Control; Industrialized economies; Emerging economies; Public sector organization; Planning programming budgeting system

Does Psychological Capital Mediate the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Adaptive Performance of Civil Servant?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4.0) and the advent of the Society 5.0 era, have ushered us into a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) environment. The adaptability of employees has become paramount, necessitating organizations to focus on managing and enhancing adaptive performance alongside routine task completion. Consequently, employee adaptive performance has emerged as a critical aspect of human resource management in both private and public sectors. This study aims to explore the relationship between transformational leadership, psychological capital, and adaptive performance, drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory and Self-Determination Theory. Additionally, the research seeks to address whether psychological capital mediates the connection between transformational leadership and adaptive performance. Utilizing questionnaire data collected from 317 civil servants at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia, the results reveal that 1) transformational leadership does not significantly impact adaptive performance, 2) psychological capital significantly and positively influences adaptive performance, 3) transformational leadership significantly and positively affects psychological capital, and 4) psychological capital fully mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and adaptive performance. These findings contribute to the development of a theoretical framework for fostering adaptive performance in public sector organizations and offer a fresh perspective in human resource management.

Policy mechanisms for interlocal service delivery: management perspectives in the USA and Norway

PurposeThis study comparatively examines the collaborative policy mechanisms for interlocal cooperation (ILC) utilized by municipal managers in Nebraska, USA, and Norway. The research addresses differences in ILC, factors of national setting and implications for ILC management in public service delivery.Design/methodology/approachOver a seven-year period, the researchers collected data from 16 communities in the two countries to observe perceptions and usages of ILC. Using a policy tools theoretical framework, the authors apply a typology of collaborative mechanisms for comparative analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that institutional orientations in the USA and Norwegian systems of government affect managerial approaches to collaborative service delivery, namely the operationalization of local governments within federal and unitary structures may influence perceptions toward the formality and specificity of ILC policy mechanisms.Originality/valueThis study offers further understanding of ILC mechanisms for public sector management. Theoretical and practical implications of ILC in a comparative international context of governmental systems for collaboration are explored.

Closing the clean cooking gap: Which policies and institutional qualities matter?

Access to clean energy is vital for fostering economic development and promoting shared prosperity. Yet, billions of people in the developing world continue to lack access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, creating a growing clean cooking gap. Achieving universal access to clean cooking requires integrated policies and quality institutions. However, attempts to examine the policies and institutional qualities that matter are missing. We take up this task and study the role of public policies and institutional qualities in closing the clean cooking gap using a generalized method of moment and a dynamic panel threshold model for 65 developing countries covering the period between 2005 and 2022. Our result confirms that economic management policies and policies for social inclusion and equity were critical to closing the clean cooking gap. Also, structural policies, except for a few dimensions, were found to minimize the clean cooking gap. However, we find an unintended adverse effect of a strict public sector management and institution on the clean cooking gap. Our study recommends the need for targeted interventions involving subsidies, tax incentives, and credit guarantees carried out under a flexible regulatory framework.

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ РЕЗЕРВ ГОССЛУЖБЫ КАК ЗАВЕРАЮЩИЙ ЭЛЕМЕНТ КАДРОВОЙ ВЕРТИКАЛИ

In 2024, a federal personnel reserve in the civil service was established as provided for in legislation adopted exactly two decades ago. Thus, the formation of a vertical of reserves has been completed, parallel to which there are managerial reserves that are largely similar in purpose and new quasi-reserves are appearing (for example, the “Leaders of Russia” competition). In the article we analyze trends in the personnel policy of the Russian Federation, taking into account the emergence of the federal reserve. Bibliometric analysis revealed a stable research interest in the problems of the civil service and reserves without direct connection with the reforms. Using chronological and comparative legal methods, we summarized stages of formation of the civil service reserves. When creating the federal reserve, problems were noted with the implementation of such functions as personnel retention and selection based on merit (meritocracy). We used an institutional approach to describe the cadre vertical in civil service and the place of the federal reserve in this vertical. We have proved that the federal reserve institutionalizes neopatrimonial practices and legitimizes subjectivity of certain officials of the Presidential Administration in the cadre vertical. Also, we used the SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the future of the cadre vertical. The conclusion is substantiated that the emergence of the federal reserve completes building an institutional model of national civil service. The cadre vertical has been developed and there are no visible prerequisites for its significant transformation. The request for changes is satisfied not by institutional reform of the civil service, but by an attempt to build a parallel institution of “public” service, ensuring the involvement of the public sector managers in the cadre vertical. Such changes continue the creation of a unified system of public authority, provided for in 2020 by amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

A model for explaining factors affecting the subsystem of training and development of public sector managers

A model for explaining factors affecting the subsystem of training and development of public sector managers

The effect of environmentally oriented leadership and public sector management quality on supply chain performance: The moderating role of public sector environmental policy

This study examines the complex relationship between environmentally oriented leadership, public sector management quality, environmental policies, and supply chain performance within the public sector context in Indonesia. The research combines quantitative analysis and qualitative insights from key stakeholders to explore these dynamics comprehensively. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of supply chain performance optimization, where environmentally oriented leadership demonstrates a nuanced connection to performance outcomes. Public sector management quality significantly enhances efficiency and overall supply chain performance. Notably, well-structured environmental policies positively impact supply chain performance and contribute to organizational sustainability. However, a weak policy framework can dilute the positive influence of leadership. The moderating effect of environmental policies on the relationship between management quality and supply chain performance might be less pronounced. The implications of this study offer both theoretical and managerial insights. The findings emphasize the need for holistic supply chain management strategies that integrate leadership styles, management practices, and policy frameworks to achieve sustainable performance outcomes. The study acknowledges limitations related to the specific context and variables studied. Future research can explore broader variables, diverse sectors, and regions by enhancing the understanding of these complex interactions. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the intricate relationship between leadership, management quality, policies, and supply chain performance within the public sector context, contributing to the growing body of knowledge in this vital area.

The Urgency of State Administration Attitude for Good Governance

Good Governance is a fundamental concept in public Good Governance is a fundamental concept in public sector management that emphasizes the importance of transparency, integrity, responsibility, fairness, trust, balance, clarity, honesty, consistency, rule of law, vision, and mission in the public sector. In Indonesia, the government administration system is recognized as a crucial element in ensuring national progress and development. Thus, the concept of Good Governance is viewed as an important element in reforming the public sector and transforming it into a system that reflects accountability, responsibility, and transparency in its operations. To achieve the goals of Good Governance, it is essential to establish a strong and effective system of government administration. Such a system must prioritize the application of Good Governance principles in the planning, implementation, and accountability processes. The relationship between the attitudes of state administration and public service delivery is also critical in achieving Good Governance. The attitudes of state administration play a crucial role in shaping the foundation for Good Governance. It is important to note that Good Governance cannot be achieved solely through the implementation of policies and regulations.

The Urgency of State Administration Attitude for Good Governance

Good Governance is a fundamental concept in public Good Governance is a fundamental concept in public sector management that emphasizes the importance of transparency, integrity, responsibility, fairness, trust, balance, clarity, honesty, consistency, rule of law, vision, and mission in the public sector. In Indonesia, the government administration system is recognized as a crucial element in ensuring national progress and development. Thus, the concept of Good Governance is viewed as an important element in reforming the public sector and transforming it into a system that reflects accountability, responsibility, and transparency in its operations. To achieve the goals of Good Governance, it is essential to establish a strong and effective system of government administration. Such a system must prioritize the application of Good Governance principles in the planning, implementation, and accountability processes. The relationship between the attitudes of state administration and public service delivery is also critical in achieving Good Governance. The attitudes of state administration play a crucial role in shaping the foundation for Good Governance. It is important to note that Good Governance cannot be achieved solely through the implementation of policies and regulations.